Not all natural oils are equal: olive, sunflower and coconut on skin
What a well-known skin barrier study found about olive and sunflower oils, why fatty acid balance matters and how to choose an oil for massage and dry skin.
2 min read · Updated 2026-11-14
The belief that every natural oil is good for skin
Indian homes reach for oil for everything: baby massage, dry winter skin, cracked heels. But oils differ in their chemistry, and skin responds to that chemistry.
What the study found
In a 2013 study, adult volunteers applied six drops of olive oil to one forearm and sunflower seed oil to the other, twice a day for four weeks. Olive oil significantly reduced the integrity of the outer skin layer and caused mild redness, in people with and without a history of eczema. Sunflower seed oil kept the barrier intact and improved hydration. The authors concluded that the findings challenge the unfounded belief that all natural oils are good for skin.
Why: the fatty acid balance
Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, which can make the skin's lipid layers more permeable. Sunflower oil (the high-linoleic kind) is rich in linoleic acid, a building block the skin uses for its barrier lipids. A follow-up pilot trial in newborns hinted at the same pattern.
How to use this
- For hair, olive oil is fine; the hair shaft is not living skin.
- For cracked heels, a little olive oil within a foot soak or scrub is unlikely to matter.
- For regular body or baby massage, consider linoleic-rich oils, and ask your doctor if there is eczema in the family.
In Kart Naturals
Olive oil appears in Nourishing Secrets Hair Oil and in Tender Foot Spa Salt, both uses where these barrier concerns are least relevant.
This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Questions
Should I stop using olive oil?
For hair and the soles of the feet it is generally fine. The concern is regular use on large areas of skin, especially for babies or anyone with eczema.
Which oil is best for baby massage?
Talk to your paediatrician. Studies have favoured high-linoleic sunflower oil over olive oil for barrier health. Coconut oil is also widely used.
What is oleic acid?
A monounsaturated fatty acid found in large amounts in olive oil. It can make the skin's lipid layers more permeable.
Sources
- Danby SG et al. Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: implications for neonatal skin care. Pediatr Dermatol 2013;30(1):42-50
- Cooke A et al. Olive oil, sunflower oil or no oil for baby dry skin or massage: a pilot, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Acta Derm Venereol 2016
This guide is general information about traditional and natural care. It is not medical advice. For a skin, scalp or health condition, speak to a dermatologist or qualified practitioner.
